I was born towards the end of World War II, and my dad was away in the RAF.  When the war was over, dad came home but not for long! In 1947 he left my mum, my brother and I. I was 3 years old and my brother was 2 years old.

 

My dad was hardly mentioned over the years, except when he defaulted on the maintenance payments. .Life was hard with little money and sometimes hardly any food. My mum had a nervous breakdown and was so ill the local vicar agreed to let me start school a year early. The loss of my father has been the greatest sadness of my life and left a huge hole inside me.

 

The circumstances of life deteriorated over the years and it broke my heart to see the suffering my mum went through. But, at the age of 18yrs  my life began to change when I committed my life to the Lord Jesus Christ .at a Christian meeting, where I heard that Jesus had died for me to forgive my sins and restore my relationship with my heavenly Father.. Suddenly I had a purpose in my life, and I began to experience what it was to have a Father’s love. My heavenly Father began to heal the hurts of the past and the terrible loss I felt.

 

Two years ago I met my fathers ‘youngest son who is also a Christian. He lives in Australia, but by a wonderful miracle he came to the UK on the invitation of Sheffield University. This meeting was an answer to years of prayer. God used this visit to do some more healing in my heart – my brother looks so like my dad. This has had an amazing impact on my life and I am now in regular contact with my father’s second family.

 

The greatest joy of my life though, is to know my heavenly Fathers’ love and to know that He will never leave me!